Android Bloatware Alert DT Ignite Automated App Installer Spotted On T-Mobile And Verizon Phones

Android Bloatware Alert DT Ignite Automated App Installer Spotted on T-Mobile and Verizon Phones

BY GreenBot Staff

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Published 1 Dec 2014

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An uninvited guest has arrived on some Android phones from Verizon and T-Mobile. Some users have reported seeing a new package labeled DT_Ignite. It installs unwanted apps in the background without notification or permission. The Digital Turbine Ignite site describes its service as a way for carriers to increase ad revenue through app installation. It explains how it can help pages regain a competitive edge. And that its tool maximizes the efficiency of smartphone pre-post-loading applications.

The prime targets are the G3 on Verizon. Galaxy Note 4 from Verizon and T-Mobile. This is surprising to see on T-Mobile, which bills itself as customer-friendly. Some unhappy campers took to various forums to find out more. The DT_Ignite package appears to put apps like RetailMeNot, Cookie m, and Drippler on their phones. Some have been able to uninstall them, and others say they reappear after restarting their phone. A contention is such downloads count against the monthly data cap. File it may be a small amount of usage. It’s not cool to force customers into involuntary data usage.Why this matters: Carrier bloatware has long been the bane of the Android ecosystem. It’s where the open nature of Android is hijacked. With carriers using it to load up your phone with apps you don’t want and can’t uninstall. If you want to avoid this problem, go with a Nexus phone, although maybe not the AT&T model or a Motorola device, which runs stock Android and a few valuable add-ons.